bust

bust1
/ bəst/
•
n.
1.
a woman's chest as measured around her breasts:
a 36-inch bust. ∎
a woman's breasts, esp. considered in terms of their size:
selecting clothes that would minimize her large bust.2.
a sculpture of a person's head, shoulders, and chest.
bust2 inf. •
v.
(past and past part. bust·ed or bust
) [tr.]
1.
break, split, or burst (something):
they bust the tunnel wide open. ∎ [intr.]
come apart or split open.
∎
cause to collapse; defeat utterly:
he promised to bust the mafia. ∎ (bust something up)
cause (something) to break up:
men hired to bust up union rallies. ∎
strike violently:
they wanted to bust me on the mouth. ∎ [intr.] (bust out)
break out; escape:
she busted out of prison. ∎
[intr.]
(in blackjack and similar card games) exceed the score of 21, losing one's stake.
2.
raid or search (premises where illegal activity is suspected):
their house got busted. ∎
arrest:
he was busted for drugs. ∎
reduce (a soldier) to a lower rank; demote:
he was busted to private.•
n.
1.
a period of economic difficulty or depression:
the boom was followed by the present bust.2.
a police raid:
a drug bust.3.
a worthless thing:
as a show it was a bust.•
adj.
bankrupt:
firms will go bust.

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